Russian university students are getting unique hands-on experience as they help behind the scenes to bring the host broadcast TV production of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ to billions around the world.

FIFA’s Legacy Programme aims to further the professional development of young people in the host country of the World Cup so that the skills and know-how that go into broadcasting the world’s biggest single-sport event are passed on to the next generation of local professionals.

A total of 312 students from fields as diverse as TV production, media, communications, foreign languages, international relations, IT, and electrical and civil engineering have been assigned roles that match their particular field and skillset.

In early 2017, students at universities around Russia were invited to apply for a variety of paid internship positions in each of the 11 host cities. In April/May 2017, they underwent initial selection interviews, before attending workshops in late 2017 led by the host broadcaster, where they learned more about the practical skills they would need to fulfil their roles. At the end of those workshops, held on the university campuses, the students were again assessed through interviews. Finally, early this year, successful students were assigned contracted positions for their roles during the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

As well as being deployed at the 12 stadiums, in Moscow students are also working at the International Broadcast Centre (IBC). Since April, some have already been assisting the construction and wiring of the temporary structures that will serve as the master control room of the host broadcast, and the national broadcasters’ studios and the offices during the tournament. Meanwhile, other students will assist in the production of daily stories, team features and promos, as well as maintaining the archive library.

In the stadiums, some students will assist the venue technical managers to coordinate the overall technical set-up and operations within each venue, while others will get to help set up and test the commentary systems before the commentators go live on matchdays.

As well as a contract and compensation for their services, each student receives professional training by some of the top experts in international sports broadcasting and a certificate of attendance.

FIFA has offered paid internships under the Legacy Programme since the 1998 FIFA World Cup™ and, as we have seen in the past, the end of the FIFA World Cup does not mean the end of the interns’ involvement in broadcast operations. For many, it has been a first step in a career in broadcast production that takes them to many of the world’s biggest televised events, including subsequent editions of the FIFA World Cup.

FIFA would like to thank the students of the following Russian universities for their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication in helping to make the 2018 FIFA World Cup a success:

The Higher School of Economics, GITR Film and Television School, Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (Moscow); Samara National Research University; Volgograd State University; Kazan Federal University; St. Petersburg State University of Film and Television; Don State Technical University (Rostov-on-Don); Sochi State University; Ural Federal University (Ekaterinburg); Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod; National Research Ogarev Mordovia State University (Saransk); Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, Kaliningrad State Technical University (Kaliningrad).